Butters, Thomas William Lowell: my Army recollections (August 19, 1987)
ABSTRACT: Capt. Thomas William Lowell Butters The Canadian Scottish Regiment Butters_T_0011_01.mp3 (Side 1) Born on Jan. 1, 1918 in Epsom, Eng. (d. Feb. 22, 1990, North Vancouver, B.C.). Involved with the Canadian Officers Training Corps at the University of British Columbia in 1937. In Aug. 1939 joined the Canadian Scottish Regiment ("C" Company) (C.S.R.), Courtenay, B.C. as a private. Unit posted to Debert, N.S. 1940/1941. Poor living conditions caused considerable sickness at the camp. Went overseas as a lance-sergeant. Describes English quarters and training conditions. (10:00) Returned to Canada in 1942 to the Officer Training Unit at Gordon Head Camp, Victoria. Was retained at Gordon Head for an additional six months as a weapons instructor. Upon his return to England as a lieutenant, he was appointed a platoon commander in the C.S.R. Heavy training schedule with considerable use of bicycles. As D-Day approached units became very selective as to complement. A man could be removed, no reason, no questions. The team was everything. Seasickness was a problem on D-Day. Mentions "Element C", triangular mined beach obstructions. Reality struck when a friend in the next landing craft was killed as he stepped ashore. Troops were inclined to hang back a bit before crossing the beach, but they were well led by the company commander. (20:00) Butters and his platoon of "D" Company were at the "point" of the invasion, advancing eight miles inland. They were recalled three miles as they were too far ahead of the unit. Describes heavy fighting during the first few days: thirty casualties out of thirty-seven men. Occasionally had to use captured German weapons. Night patrols were very tense. Appointed second-in-command of "C" Company. Undertook a personal reconnaissance into Caen. He and his platoon occupied an island in the Orne River at Caen. There he injured his knee; out of the line for the first time in fifty-three days. (33:00) Butters_T_0011_02.mp3 Returned from hospital in time for the battle for Falaise, during which he suffered battle shock. Felt very badly about this. He was able to rejoin the C.S.R. in Sept. 1944 for the capture of Calais. In Oct. they attacked across the Leopold Canal. Butters in command of the company during this action. Wounded in the neck by a grenade fragment just after crossing. The wound was serious enough to cause him to be invalided out of the army. Personal comments: much horror in war. Somewhat traumatic even to speak of it in 1987. Too many thoughts renewed. One has to try to be pragmatic or cannot survive. (43:00)
Interviewer: Torrie, Tom
An interview/narrative of Thomas William Lowell Butters's experiences during World War II. Captain Butters served with the Canadian Scottish Regiment. Interview took place on August 19, 1987.
Rank: Captain.
Interviewee: Butters, Thomas William Lowell, 1918-1990
- In Collection:
- Obstacles (Military science)
- Barricades (Military science)
- Canada--Canadian Army--Military life
- War--Psychological aspects
- Canada--Canadian Army Overseas--Barracks and quarters
- Falaise Gap, Battle of, France, 1944
- Canada--Canadian Army--Canadian Scottish Regiment--'C' Company
- World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--France--Normandy
- Antwerp, Battle of, Antwerp, Belgium, 1944
- University of British Columbia--Canadian Officers Training Corps
- World War, 1939-1945--Amphibious operations
- Caen, Battle of, Caen, France, 1944
- Canada--Canadian Army--Canadian Scottish Regiment.
- World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Scheldt River
- Camp Debert (N.S.)
- World War, 1939-1945--Naval operations--English Channel
- World War, 1939-1945--Psychological aspects
- D-Day, 1944 (Normandy invasion)
- War wounds
- World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Scheldt River Estuary (Netherlands and Belgium)
- Gordon Head Army Camp (Victoria, B.C.)
- World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, Canadian
- Amphibious warfare
- World War, 1939-1945--Medical care
- Canada--Canadian Army--Canadian Scottish Regiment--'D' Company
- Leopold Canal, Battle of, Belgium, 1944
- Combat patrols
- Canada--Canadian Army Overseas--Main Training Base (Aldershot, England)
- Butters, Thomas William Lowell, 1918-1990--Interviews
- 2 sound recordings (MP3)
- 49, 0
- 60.10867, -113.64258
- One original sound tape reel (ca. 45 min.) : 1 7/8 ips, 2 track, mono. ; 1 sound cassette copy : standard, mono. in Special Collections
- Canadian Military Oral History Collection
- BTWL_011
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/reginald-herbert-roy-fonds
- May 14, 2007
- Digital sound recording in .wav format at 16 bits and 22 kHz. In .mp3 format at 64 kbps and 22 kHz. Digitized by AN, technical and cataloguing metadata provided by JF and JP. Transferred from audio reel to audio cassette between 1987-1997. Interview migrated to digital format for UVic Special Collections in 2007. Migration metadata by KD and MT.
- Rights
- This interview has been posted with the understanding that it may be used for research purposes only. Should the interviewee or their heirs have any objections to this interview being accessible on the Internet, it will be removed promptly. Contact UVic Special Collections for permission if using for other than research purposes: speccoll@uvic.ca
- DOI
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